The Internet Does Not Have Everything (Yet)!

Genealogists are told that the Internet does not have all the information we may need for our family history.  I had always thought it had more to do with specific records and not just general information.  I was so wrong!

I have read lots of information on how to get the most out of my searches, how to conduct search parameters to locate information I may need, and how to use wild cards to expand my search.  I tried hundreds of searches over the last two (2) weeks to try and find some information.  I have had absolutely no luck at all.  Let me explain what I was looking for.

Leona Frances Scott (my mother) graduated from Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri on April 30, 1953.  I wanted to find out more about the High School, see an image of it, and learn the history of the school so I could provide information in this blog post, and not just an image of the diploma my mother received.  Unfortunately, since I found nothing about the school, I have no information of any value to add.

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the last one available to the public.  It shows Leona’s family located in Howard County, Missouri (which later became Bates County), which includes the town of Hume, which is where they lived.  I always wondered why she went to Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri since it is located about 20 miles northeast of Butler, Missouri which is 31 miles northeast of Hume.  Seems like a long way to go just to get to school.  I called a living uncle last weekend to see if he remembered why she went to a school that was almost 60 miles away from home, and I learned some enlightening information.

At some point after the 1940 U.S. Federal Census was taken, they moved to Brighton, Colorado.  Then, at some point prior to her graduation in 1953, they moved to Butler, Missouri (he thought they lived there a couple of years prior to her graduation).  This makes a lot more sense since Tunas is only about 20 miles away!  I just assumed (and we all know what that means), that they still lived in Hume!

Since there was no information on the school to be found on the World Wide Web, I will need to go to the local library or historical society to see if they have any information that can be gleaned from local records.  When I find additional information, I will be sure to pass on the information, which will hopefully also include a photo of the school, in a later post that will link back to this one.  Below is a photo of the diploma she received.

Leona Frances Scott
High School Diploma
April 30, 1953